TN Government's Budget Logo Sparks Controversy Over Removal of Rupee Symbol

The Tamil Nadu government's proposal to do away with the rupee symbol (₹) from the logo of the state's 2025-26 Budget, to be tabled in the Assembly on Friday, has created a political row. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and some opposition leaders have severely criticized the decision as being divisive and conducive to disunity at the national level.

Posting on social media platform X, Sitharaman criticized the DMK government, calling the move an act of 'language and regional chauvinism'. She contended that the abolition of the rupee symbol dilutes the unity of the country and encourages secessionist feelings in the name of regional pride.

"This is not just symbolism -- it is a sign of a perilous mindset that undermines Indian unity. An entirely unnecessary instance of language and regional chauvinism", Sitharaman wrote. She also reminded elected representatives of their constitutional obligation to maintain national integrity, saying that the exclusion of a national symbol from state Budget papers goes against that obligation.

Sitharaman also drew attention to the irony of the move, mentioning that the rupee symbol had been created by D. Udaya Kumar, the son of ex-DMK MLA N. Dharmalingam. "By removing it now, the DMK is not just denying a national symbol but completely ignoring the creative effort of a Tamil young person", she continued.

BJP IT Cell Head Amit Malviya had similar sentiments, highlighting the emblem's origin in Tamil Nadu. "Chief Minister Stalin is offending Tamilians by omitting the Indian rupee (₹) symbol from the Tamil Nadu Budget 2025-26 document", he posted on X.

AIADMK General Secretary and Leader of Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami also condemned the decision, terming it a publicity stunt to divert attention from governance lapses. "CM Stalin is indulging in mere advertisement campaigns rather than fulfilling the actual needs of the people", Palaniswami said, accusing the DMK government of giving more importance to political gimmicks than to public welfare.

Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai joined the criticism, wondering why the rupee symbol was being changed to the Tamil letter 'Ru' from 'Rubaai' (Tamil for rupee). "The DMK government's Budget replaces the rupee symbol, a symbol designed by a Tamilian and used by the whole country. How foolish can you get, Thiru @mkstalin₹" he tweeted.

The controversy comes against the background of persistent tensions between the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government over language policies. The DMK has been accusing the Union government of trying to impose Hindi all along, and the elimination of the rupee symbol is being seen as part of this larger resistance.

Reacting to this, the Tamil Nadu government justified its move, saying that the new Budget logo symbolizes the linguistic identity of the state. The logo has the Tamil letter 'Ru' from 'Rubaai' with the caption 'Everything for All', which the DMK says symbolizes its inclusive governance.

This is the first time a state has declined to use the national currency symbol, heightening debates over the tension between regional identity and national cohesion. As the political confrontation unfolds, the issue will be expected to stoke wider debates over federalism, cultural representation, and the changing relationship between state and central powers.

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